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Aim Fast Hit Small - Wilmington, Ohio

Aim Fast Hit Small, June 16-17, 2012 – Wilmington, Ohio

TD-1 started in smooth fashion with the participative waiver TLG employs to ensure that everybody in the class was intimately familiar with the Cardinal Rules of Gun Safety. We all passed the first test to TLG’s satisfaction. Once the formalities were out of the way, it was off to the FAST.

Of course, we were all cold and still becoming acquainted with one another. Unfortunately, the first FAST attempt would be my best for the week. I suffer from an ailment known as “FAST Anxiety.” I guess it hadn’t set in by the time the first attempt was made. Cool, I managed an Advanced – I was satisfied but could have always done better.

TD-1 was filled with several fun-filled drills, with emphasis on low probability targets. Very little lecture was given, a brief description was provided followed by a demo and we were off to the races. Lots and lots of low probability drills filled the greatest part of the morning. The afternoon segment of the TD-1 covered Shooting on the Move (SOM) where we engaged an array of four 40% size IPSC/USPSA steel targets spaces sporadically on the target line, intermixed between the standard target stands. Our firing line was positioned 10-yards away from the firing line. We practiced several lateral movement exercises where we had to focus on the shooting crouch while maintaining continuous lateral movement to the target. Once we reached the end, we had to rush over to get back in line for several repetitions of SOM. Sounds easy, right? But in 90+-degree heat with similar levels of humidity, we were all tasked to the brink of tears and gallons of sweat! Quite the challenge!

TD-1 ended with a 25-yard bull’s-eye drill and a final FAST. Thanks to TLG, I was reminded how much I am not a bull’s eye shooter and I rapidly demonstrated what “fail” looks like. We shot 10-rounds free-style (two handed), 10-rounds SHO, and 10-rounds WHO – for a total of 30-rounds. Yes, I sucked! My worst drill for the day, by far. After my brief reminder of my shortcomings, the final drill of the day was the FAST.

We also got to witness a glimpse of what is to come with TLG venturing into the realm or shall I say cult of the 1911. He ran a single drill and giggled like a school aged girl on Prom Night. As a matter of fact some Prom Night parallels were drawn but is well beyond the scope of this AAR. Yes TLG, I’ll refrain and reserve that to the classification of an “inside joke.”

TD-2 started off with the traditional cold drill, yep – we ran the FAST first thing. A five-yard Dot Torture soon followed the FAST to get us warmed up for the days’ festivities. If anything, the Dot Torture will present any trigger deficiencies you may have, especially at 5-yards.

Once concluding the warm up, TLG upped the pace a bit, by running us through a “Quick Draw” drill on the 40% IPSC/USPSA steel targets, starting at 10-yards. To briefly summarize the drill, the drill required you to draw and engage the steel with a hit with a 2-second PAR time. You were allowed one “Mulligan” for the exercise. Once you exercised your “Mulligan” you became what TLG referred to as a “spectator.” I did pretty well with this drill, making it back to ~25 yards. One student made it back to 35-yards until he exercised his “Mulligan.” Talk about challenging! One would assume the PAR time would increase with the distance, nope! Not in this class. As a matter of fact, the time constraints remained rather tight throughout the class.

TD-2 also consisted of a drill that involved the four 40% IPSC/USPSA steel targets that were identified as 1, 2, 3, and 4. You started lateral movement either left or right and TLG would call out various numbers, any number beyond the number 4 indicated a change in direction. Imagine the game of Simon Says. If he says 3, you engage target 3, if Simon yells 7 and then 2, you switch direction and engage target 2. Talk about taxing!! This is perhaps one of the best-divided attention drills I’ve encountered. Kudos to TLG for this drill and it’s various strengths and our weaknesses.

Shortly following the “Simon Says” drill, we got to play the Act/React game. Where two shooters are on the firing line and one is designated the aggressor. The aggressor asks the other shooter if he/she is “ready” (this is the threat) once the other shooter acknowledges “ready” any gesture or movement by the aggressor initiates the quick draw. Guess what the target was? If you guessed the 40% IPSC/USPSA steel target, you would be correct. Target distance from the firing line was 10-yards. We got to participate in this drill several times and I will pride myself in saying that I beat TLG the first time, he tricked me the second time, and then dusted me for the third and final time. Yep, you won – dude!

As TD-2 progressed, the drills became exponentially more difficult and quite challenging. The Hostage Drill consisted of engaging an array of three targets with IDPA targets superimposed on the targets (representing the hostage). Only a small portion of the head was present and we had to engage each of the three targets with a target area of I would venture to guess ranging from 1-2” in height. The target distance was 5-yards and we started facing up range. At the sound of the buzzer, TLG would state either left, center and right. The left, center and right dictated which target was engaged first. The PAR for this exercise was 3 seconds. This was perhaps the most challenging drill I’ve ever shot! If we shot a hostage or failed to meet the PAR time, all of the hostages died. To make things personal, we had to sign each target we “killed.” Thanks TLG, I’m now a “murderer.” However, I will let it be known, I never actually shot the hostage, I just finished with a 3.1 time (yep it was over PAR).

TD-2 ended rather abruptly since we had a duly appointed weatherman tasked with checking the weather radar via his cell phone. The weatherman painted a dreary picture and described the incoming doom that was soon to be on the horizon. So TLG quickly decided to administer our last FAST for the day. Soon after the last student performed the FAST the monsoon began.

I must say this is perhaps the most challenging time I’ve ever experienced with a firearm. The size of the targets coupled with the PAR times will definitely challenge any level of shooter. I was very impressed with the method of course delivery and all of the shooters left the class feeling a sense of fulfillment. After enduring such challenging courses of fire, everybody was humbled at least one time. If you walk away unchallenged then you didn’t try hard enough. This was a course where you definitely get what you put into it.

The only drill we did not get to complete was the Triple-Nickel, which we had to cancel due to weather.

In summary, if you are proficient with the press-out and scored at least an Intermediate in the Aim Fast Hit Fast, then you owe it yourself to take the Aim Fast Hit Small class. It is simply money well spent!!

AFHS - Wilmington

Great Summary - Excellent Class!
Final FAST Drill of the two days was my best - 7.32 with a 1 sec penalty for my last shot miss on the 8" circle (damn!). Very disappointed that I'm still sitting on the other side of the wall (for now). This is an impressive drill that highlights the weak points of all gun handling from draw to reload. The up side was that my best FAST time in the Indy class last Sept was 10.22 I'll add that I found the transition drills (moving from a 2" circle to a 8" circle) very helpful. I like TLG's focus on 100% hits on the 2" circles. Enjoyed all the drills we shot on the 40% IPSC steel targets drills as well.
My Glock 19 had some problems with light strikes on the CCI Blazer (aluminum cartridge) ammo - found the problem to be a "beat up" aftermarket titanium safety plunger that was randomly impeding the striker. Changed to a Glock factory plunger after Day 1 and had no problems on Day 2 with the CCI ammo (primarily shot Fiocchi 115gr FMJ on both days with no problems). The more I shoot the Glock, especially in environments like this class, the more I scrap aftermarket parts and put Glock factory parts back in. With my failing close up eyesight, I've been using a Leupold DeltaPoint Reflex sight (7.5 MOA Delta). Couldn't find my standard sights in last year's Sept class, so switched to the DeltaPoint which is milled into the slide (thanks David Bowie). I attribute my nearly 3 second FAST Drill improvement since the Sept class to this change.
Great group of guys who all left their egos at home and maintained excellent safety on the range. Couldn't have asked for a better class. I walked away wanting to be more disciplined in my practice and challenged to improve in a measureable way.

I learned that I have a lot of work to do. I took AFHF two years ago and had a Rangemaster class last year but haven't kept up with structured practice. I think I finally understand the concept of the press out better than I did before.

I ran my PT M&P9mm with no issues. I probably ought to clean it now though!

Monsoon? The front page of the Wilmington News Journal today (www.wnewsj.com) has a pic of a well defined funnel cloud taken about 10 or so miles from the club. Good call on cutting out early.